25 Biggest Political Scandals in History

Watergate

Politics, as many people know, can be quite a dirty business. Because of the many perks that are included with public service, such as fame, power, money, and honor, there are certain politicians that cannot control themselves and give in to the temptations of corruption and greed. Some of the more common scandals that are mentioned in the news have to do with extramarital affairs, excessive use of funds, improper utilization of taxes, and more. But of the many crimes that have been seen in the field of politics, these are the 25 biggest political scandals in history that truly stand out.

Iran–Contra Affair

Also referred to as Irangate, the scandal involved US President Ronald Reagan’s senior administration officials secretly facilitating the sale of arms to Iran, the subject of an arms embargo. They had hoped that the arms sales would secure the release of hostages and allow U.S. intelligence agencies to fund the Nicaraguan Contras. Unfortunately for them the plan was uncovered and led to a huge international mess.